Standard radio Bluetooth conversion DIY

[ec_co]

I wanted to keep my standard radio in place but be able to use it for the single speaker in the dash to be able to use at shows and completely separate from the real stereo system I'll be installing later. I wasn't about to pay $400 to $700 plus for a conversion, so I did it myself. I only care about Bluetooth and USB thumb drive playability, so I picked up this Bluetooth module off Amazon for $20ish and tore out the electronics of the old radio, but I kept the dial mechanism in place. The power button turns the Bluetooth on and off and controls the volume.

Install was fairly straightforward and the Bluetooth worked flawlessly. I disassembled the entire volume control knob from the old, used the original shaft and filed down the pin tip to a slot that would fit into the new volume control and epoxied that into place. After that it was pretty straightforward just align it and see where I needed drill holes in the side screw in the standoffs. Cut a small notch in the back of the unit for the USB, power and speaker cable. Seriously only took me an afternoon once I got all the parts in. I'll install the USB extender cable into the glove box so that I can just pre-load a USB stick with some appropriate classics. But I still have the option to push Bluetooth sound through it also, while still looking all original and unmodified.

This is a mono version which I specifically chose because I'm only powering the center speaker. There are options for dual channel plus a subwoofer, but I'm going to use a real stereo for that setup.

ZK-1001B Mono Bluetooth Amplifier... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHJJ96FX?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share